Biochemical investigations of cardiomyopathy in the dog.

Biochemical investigations were performed on cardiac muscle samples from seven dogs with cardiomyopathy and on cardiac muscle from a varied selection of normal dogs. Biochemical examination of cardiac muscle from clinical cases of cardiomyopathy revealed that the concentrations of three enzymes were significantly altered. These were, catalase, succinic dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase. Depressed enzyme concentrations were recorded from both ventricles but were significant only on the left for catalase, on the right for malate dehydrogenase and in both ventricles for succinic dehydrogenase although the depression in this case was also greater on the right.